DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Mass Effect trilogy, Commander Shepard, etc.

If you're thinking I'm going to discontinue To Be A Hero in favor of this, you're wrong. Yes, I will continue this as well, side by side. I'm much more confident in the fact that I can update two stories simultaneously.

Anyway, Just Once is essentially my take on various aspects in Miranda's romance progression, and, yes, I'm going to drastically change many things.

Why?

Because I can.

It's not like I'm not content with the romance, it's just ... well, this is fanfiction. And we can do anything with fanfiction, even if it makes no sense at all. Anyway, I suppose this is just for a bit of recreation, anything to get my head out of writer's block. No, this is not just a one-shot. It'll consist of several chapters, and in the same style of To Be A Hero, I'll start with the ending, and leave the more interesting/drastically changed bits for later.

He was bleeding, a gaping side wound from where several bullets had hit him when his shields were down, but Shepard would feel much better after he applied some omni-gel. But they were wasting time. The Human-Reaper was gone and done – now all that was left was to destroy the base.

"Shepard to ground team, status report!" he called over the radio as he strode over to set the bomb.

A few seconds of static passed before someone responded. "Shepard!" and Shepard could discern the guttural voice amidst the background noise of gunfire and explosions belonged to Grunt. "You're missing it! It's goddamn glorious! I'll climb out on their bodies!"

The commander nodded unconsciously before kneeling next to the reactor core. "Head to the Normandy." he ordered. "Garrus," he addressed his old turian comrade. "Keep a lookout for any unwanted visitors. Joker, prep the engines. I'm about to overload this place and blow it sky high."

"Roger that commander." Joker responded. "Wait, uh, commander, I've got an incoming signal from the Illusive Man. EDI's patching it through."

Miranda stepped forward, her omni-tool flashing before a holographic projection of the Illusive Man appeared. His inhuman blue eyes shone with an odd sort of light, his countenance neutral as always.

"Shepard," he began in his somewhat-drawling, cultured voice. "You've done the impossible."

Shepard turned his head around, simultaneously wiring the reactor to overload. "I was part of a team," he said with a slightly irritated tone in his voice. "Some of them gave their lives for this mission."

The Illusive Man nodded. "I know. Their sacrifices will not be forgotten. You did what you had to do, and you acquired the Collector Base." He paused, but something in his voice told Shepard that he wasn't finished.

Where's he going with this?

"I'm looking at the schematics EDI uploaded. A timed radiation pulse would kill the remaining Collectors, but leave the machinery and technology intact." the Illusive Man said with a fierce light in his eyes. "This is our chance, Shepard. They were building a Reaper. That knowledge - that framework - could save us."

Shepard scoffed, briefly turning his attention back to the reactor. "They liquefied people. Turned them into something horrible. We have to destroy the base." There was a sort of finality to his tone, a steely inexorableness in his eyes.

"Don't be short-sighted." the Illusive Man waved away Shepard's argument, shaking his head slightly. "Our best chance against the Reapers is to turn their own resources against them."

"I'm not so sure." Miranda said slowly, skeptically. "Seeing it all firsthand ... seeing the Human-Reaper ... can we really utilize that kind of technology – that kind of immense power - the right way?"

"If we don't, humanity might and will perish." the Illusive Man said, beginning to feel rather aggravated. "Look at it carefully. They were working directly with the Collectors - who knows what information is buried there? This base is a gift, Shepard - we can't just destroy it. Not when so many lives are at stake. Not when the entire future of humanity is at stake."

"You're completely ruthless." Shepard sneered, disgust apparent in his tone. "Next thing I know you'll want to grow your own Reaper."

"My goal is to save humanity from the Reapers, at any cost." the Illusive Man argued. "I've never hidden that from you. Imagine how many lives could be saved if we leave this technology intact and use its knowledge to thwart the Reapers. Imagine the lives that would be lost if we don't."

"No matter what kind of technology we might find," Shepard said, finalizing the wiring. "It's not worth it. I don't trust you with this sort of power. I wouldn't trust anyone with it."

"I know you don't trust me, but sometimes you just have to take the risk! Will you damn the whole future of humanity out of this? Shepard, you died fighting for what you believed. I brought you back so you could keep fighting. I trusted that you would do the right thing, I trusted that you would fight back against the Collectors. We need this kind of technology in our hands."

"Our hands or just humanity's? Just Cerberus's? We don't need this base. We can fight and win without it." In a softer voice that didn't reach the piercing, contemptuous gaze he held with the Illusive Man, he said, "I won't let fear compromise who I am."

The Illusive Man turned around and faced Miranda. "Miranda, do not let Shepard destroy the base!" he said, almost desperate.

"Or what? You'll replace me next?" Miranda scoffed, eying the Illusive Man disdainfully.

The Illusive Man might've been slack-jawed, if his face could show it from underneath the undisguised fury in his expression. "I gave you an order, Miranda!"

"I noticed. But I'm with Shepard. Consider this my resignation."

"Miranda, what the hell has gotten into you?" Then comprehension seemed to dawn on the Illusive Man as he looked between Shepard and Miranda. This time, he couldn't keep the shock, anger, and disgust out of his voice. "Oh, Christ. You slept with him, didn't you?"

"That's enough." Shepard took one step towards the Illusive Man, furious. "You made me in charge of this mission, and I say we blow the damn place up. And that's final." He chuckled humorlessly. "Guess you should've listened to Miranda about that control chip, eh?"

"Damn you, Shepard! When humanity falls, you'll regret it! You'll never manage to win against the Reapers, but I'll-"

"I'm sorry," Shepard interrupted mockingly with a sneer. "I'm getting a lot of bullshit on this line. Call you back later, jackass." With that, Miranda cut the line off.

"All clear, Shepard," Garrus said as he strode over. "And here," he added, handing over a small, thick, disk-like object – the bomb. "A parting gift for the Collectors." he said with a grin.

After a few moments, Shepard typed in a few keystrokes and stood up. "Let's move. We've got ten minutes before the reactor overloads and blows this whole station apart."

Before anyone could respond, a rumbling rippled throughout the entire base.

What the-?

A huge shadow rose over the trio, and even before he saw it, Shepard knew what it was, but it was impossible –

Holy Christ.

The Human-Reaper was getting back up.